The Shining Go
by veatariel
Summary: *Some Spoilers for Volume 17 and above* The creepy fangirls are gone. Back to seriousness. Life takes a new turn for Hikaru and his friends. How does he cope?
1. Prologue: Family Fluff

Disclaimer: This is a Hikaru no Go fanfiction. Hikaru and company does not belong   
to me but to Hotta Yumi, Obata Takeshi, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and TV Tokyo. Please   
don't sue me, I'm just a poor college student. R/R! Spoilers for anything beyond   
volume 17 of the manga up to chapter 174!  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The Shining Go   
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Prologue: Family Fluff  
  
  
  
"Tadaima."  
  
"Okaerinasai," was the reply of the slightly plump housewife. She rubbed her hands   
on her apron and met her son at the door. "Where have you been? It's almost nine."  
  
16 year old Shindou Hikaru sheepishly smiled. "At Morishita-sensei's house. His   
son drove me here. No need to worry."  
  
Mrs. Shindou sighed and headed back to the kitchen. "I'm going to heat up your   
dinner and your father's as well. I'm worried about the both of you, leaving so   
early and coming home so late!"  
  
Hikaru hung up his winter coat and joined his mother. "Dad's late? Again? What   
is it this time?" He continued bitterly while setting the table. "Probably found   
another sake place and is hooting it up with his buddies..."  
  
"Now, listen up young man. I'm sure he has some reasonable explanation for being   
late. I read in the papers that people are being laid off because of the lagging   
economy. Maybe he's trying to make a good impression so he wouldn't be fired..."  
  
"Or maybe sucking it up to a female boss."  
  
"Hikaru!"  
  
"Just kidding!" He scooped some rice into a bowl and poured two cups of tea.   
He handed one to his mother. "Here ya go. Itadakimasu." Hikaru picked up his   
chopsticks and started eating.  
  
"Thank you." She sank down to her seat and sipped at her tea. "It's just that   
the both of you are gone so often. First you had that Hokuto cup tournament,   
next you go to Korea with that Hon Su-Yon..."  
  
"It's Hong Soo-Young."  
  
"Forgive me for not being able to pronounce that. Young people nowadays are so   
fortunate to be able to learn so many languages. I mean, I can't pronounce properly   
the 'L' in the Engrish.. English language and..."  
  
"Please mom, you're side-tracking."  
  
"Yes, right. And you father tells me later that at the same time he had a business   
trip he had forgotten to tell us about earlier and leaves after you do. I am very   
lonely here at the house with the both of you at work. Mind you, you have a very   
strange job but one nonetheless and..."  
  
She trailed off and noticed Hikaru had stared into space. "Mom, when did dad come   
back?"  
  
Mrs. Shindou thought for a moment. "Two days after you did."  
  
"I though I saw him at the airport café when I arrived. I think you'd better talk   
to him about his little 'business trip.'"  
  
Her eyes widened. "Then it wouldn't be the first time."  
  
"First time to what?" He looked at his mother and noted her startled appearance.   
Obviously she had said too much and tried to change the subject. "Uh, never mind.   
Didn't you say you would be meeting Touya-kun and Yashiro-kun tomorrow at the Go   
Salon? You're staying over at Touya- kun's house, right? Sleepover?"  
  
Hikaru let her change the subject since she was hesitant to talk. "Yeah, discussion   
of Ogata 10-dan and Kurata 7-dan's kifus."  
  
She gathered up the teacups. "Don't you ever talk about anything else but Go?"  
  
He rolled his sleeves up and turned on the tap. "Yashiro and I talk about high school   
and manga sometimes. Touya? Talk about Go and he'll be happy."  
  
"What about Akari-chan? Do you two see each other a lot?"  
  
"Nah. Her school is at the other side of the district from mine. But I will see her   
next week. I'm teaching a beginner Go class at her high school. Tough being a pro  
and all. Tsutsui-san, Kaga-san, Kaneko-chan and even Mitani are attending the same   
school."  
  
Mrs. Shindou let her son wash the plates. "It's good that Akari-chan and you are   
getting along so well. Do you like her?"  
  
"Yeah. We've been friends since elementary. I've been treating her like crap..."  
  
"Hikaru!"  
  
"...like dirt during Junior High. I'm being nice to her since she put up with me the   
entire time."  
  
She smiled fondly at her son. "She really was right. You really did grow up."  
  
"She just got shorter. Except when she wears those platforms. Man, do those hurt   
when she stomps on my toes."  
  
"Don't give her a reason to do so."  
  
They worked in content silence for a few minutes. Until Hikaru broke it by blurting   
out, "Mom, do you ever regret having me?"  
  
She was taken aback for a few minutes. "What makes you think of that?"  
  
"I mean, I've been a total ass..."  
  
"Hikaru!"  
  
"Sorry. idiot for the past few years. You put up with me when I was in the 'defeat   
Touya' phase and the 'I won't play Go' phase and never complained all that much.   
You really mean a lot to me and I've been really stupid for taking you and Dad for   
granted."  
  
She smiled softly and said, "You were the best thing that ever happened to me. My   
dad, your grandfather didn't like your father because we were still young when we   
married. And I got pregnant right away. But no, I never regret having you."  
  
  
  
to be continued...  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Some Japanese terms:  
  
Tadaima - "I'm home"   
Okaerinasai - sort of like "Welcome back"   
Itadakimasu - traditional saying before a meal  
  
  
Author's notes:  
  
There, spoilers galore! Anyway, this is story after the Hokuto Cup affair. This   
fanfic assumes that Hikaru is going to High school with Akira and Yashiro's tutoring.   
And this is just an introduction to future chapters. Why is that we never see Hikaru's   
dad around? See for yourselves. This is my own interpretation of Hikago. 


	2. Chapter One: And so it begins

Disclaimer: This is a Hikaru no Go fanfiction. Hikaru and company does not belong   
to me but to Hotta Yumi, Obata Takeshi, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and TV Tokyo. Please   
don't sue me, I'm just a poor college student. R/R! Spoilers for anything beyond   
volume 17 of the manga up to chapter 174!  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
The Shining Go   
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Chapter One:  
  
  
"Hikaru! You came!"  
  
"Of course I did Akari! Geez, I did promise you." Hikaru looked around the campus of his old  
friends' high school. "So this is your high school. Looks like a nice place. Where are the others?"  
  
"In the Go Club room."  
  
"Wow! There's actually one! OUCH!! What did you do that for Akari?"   
  
"For being fresh. Believe it or not, Mukogaoka High has a great reputation in Go tournaments."  
  
He rubbed the sore spot in his head. "Then why bring me in? If you already have Kaga and   
Tsutsui-san, and Mitani in the club, then why do you need help?"  
  
Akari sighed, grabbed Hikaru's hand and led him to the Go Club room. "Unfortunately for us, all  
the best players were seniors who had just graduated. All that were left are lower-ranking   
sophomores, Kaga-senpai and Tsutsui-senpai who are now in their final year and us freshmen.  
So we really need all the help we can get."  
  
"And maintain the school's reputation? I see."  
  
"Yes. So, what days are you free?"  
  
"I don't really know with all the matches and shidougo conventions. But Saturday afternoons I'm  
usually free till 4 when I go play Touya at the Go Salon or with Kawai-san at the other place."  
  
"Come over during lunch. I'll bring the bento boxes. You can eat with the club."  
  
"Really? Thanks Akari! I'll think about the offer."  
  
"You're really excited at the thought of a free meal aren't you."  
  
"Absolutely. ITAI!! That hurts you know!"  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Hikaru was overjoyed at seeing his all of his old friends. Almost all anyway. Kaga grabbed him  
and put him in a headlock as a way of greeting. Nobody dared question his methods. But before  
he could teach them, he challenged Kaga to a game.  
  
Kaga lost by 5 moku. He had a three stone handicap.  
  
Hikaru was put into another headlock. This one more painful than the last.  
  
"Kaga-senpai! That must really hurt!" Akari protested.  
  
"Who cares," Mitani grumbled. That earned him a slap from Kaneko-san.  
  
Hikaru was freed from Kaga's headlock. "How's the club by the way?" Silence greeted him.   
Natsume-san scratched his head. Mitani tried to block Kaneko-san's blows unsuccessfully. Akari  
turned red. Tsutsui-san finally spoke up.  
  
"Horrible. We were totally beaten during the last tournament. We're hoping we could do better  
in the winter tournament."  
  
"Then I'd better pray." Hikaru said. Akari glanced at him suspiciously. "Pray for what?" she asked,  
her eyes narrowing.  
  
He continued, "Pray that Akari's bento will be edible."  
  
"BAKA!! How could you be so inconsiderate after what I had done for you and you wouldn't even  
acknowledge my strength as a player and you even insult my cooking since you only eat here on  
Saturdays when you teach us... Wait." Akari stopped swatting at Hikaru with her notebook.  
  
The shodan lay in a crumpled on the floor.  
  
"Does that mean you agree to help us?"  
  
Hikaru lifted himself off the floor. "Off course!" He said. "I'm not that cruel." Tsutsui's eyebrows  
furrowed. "But Shindou-kun, pros get paid don't you?"  
  
"Of course. But Akari's lunches will take care of that. I don't mind. Is that okay with you all?"  
  
A chorus of agreement came from the assembled members. Except for Mitani who had resorted  
to hiding under the table from Kaneko-san.  
  
"Then lets start with shidougo today. Put in as many stones as you want."  
  
"Oh, cocky aren't we." Mitani perked up. He placed nine stones. "This okay?"  
  
"Not really. Let's start anyway."  
  
15 minutes later...  
  
"AGGH!" Mitani's yell of indignation could be heard from the other side of campus. "This many and   
I still lose?"  
  
"Why don't you just say 'I have lost'?"  
  
"Never! I'll put down more stones!"  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
That evening, Hikaru met Touya at their Go Salon. They nibbled on cake Ichikawa-san had made for  
them. Then they proceeded to play. And to shout at each other.  
  
"How could you totally miss my attack here!" Touya screamed. The other patrons started moving towards  
the exit. Ichikawa-san winced. "Not another elementary-school fight." She moaned.  
  
"I think they enjoy that." One of the customers pointed out. "They let off a bit of steam. They're just a   
couple of 16 year old boys. Even though they are pros, nothing changes that fact."  
  
"But I just wish they do it in another place." Another customer insisted. They covered their ears expectantly.  
Hikaru's reply never came. His cell phone started ringing. He excused himself and took the call. He brushed  
past the bewildered spectators and went to the lobby.  
  
Touya Akira smiled at them. "Just letting off steam, eh?"  
  
Ichikawa-san blushed. "Boys will be boys then." Hikaru re-entered the room. "Isn't that right Shindou-kun."  
  
When he didn't reply, she started to worry. "Are you all right?" He turned to them, his face pale. He said,   
"My bag please, I'm needed at home."  
  
"Shindou." Touya made his way to the counter. "What's wrong?"  
  
His face grim, Hikaru replied. "My parents are getting divorced."  
  
  
  
to be continued...  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Japanese terms:  
senpai (sempai) - honorific for upperclassmen  
bento - boxed lunches  
itai - general exclamation for pain  
shidougo - tutoring Go 


	3. Chapter Two: Comings and Goings

Disclaimer: This is a Hikaru no Go fanfiction. Hikaru and company does not belong to me but to Hotta Yumi, Obata Takeshi, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and TV Tokyo. Please don't sue me, I'm just a poor college student. R/R! Spoilers for anything beyond volume 17 of the manga up to chapter 178! 

**The Shining Go**   


* * *

Chapter Two: Comings and Goings

Touya Akira was silent ever since the Shindou kid left, Ichikawa-san observed quietly. Of all the things that could have happened, a divorce was the unlikeliest to do so. Kitajima-san, on the other hand, was gloating loudly.

"Ha! That kid deserved it. With a spoiled-brat like that, I would understand why any parent would be to get divorced. Talk about karma! Did you see his face Akira-sensei? He got what he deserved..."

"Kitajima-san!" Ichikawa exclaimed. "I understand you don't like Shindou-kun but please do not bad-mouth him! He's a good kid if you look past his faults. He's going through a tough time!"

"Feh, he's just trying to get sympathy. Shindou is nothing but a loud-mouthed brat with minimal talent for Go. Look at him! Two years of being a pro and still a 2-dan? He'll be lucky to..."

"That's enough!" Touya cried, standing abruptly. Kitajima closed his mouth as the other customers looked on nervously. Touya cleaned up his stones and walked towards the exit. Ichikawa-san handed him his bag. The boy took it without saying a word and left. Moments later, Ichikawa growled, "It's your goddamn fault! If YOU hadn't said all those things about Shindou then Akira-kun wouldn't have gotten angry and left!"

"Oh yeah? That brat shouldn't have been anywhere near Akira-sensei in the first place? That kid's the reason why he delayed becoming a pro. And the Shindous must have been nuts in the first place for having a kid. Good thing they're getting divorced. Bad parents shouldn't have children in the first place."

The other patrons back away. It was the first time that they heard gentle Ichikawa-san growl at anyone. Ichikawa's smile turned into a predatory grin. "Oh yeah? What about YOUR son Kitajima-san? In and out of prison ten times over the last two years isn't it? And when did you and your wife divorce? Ten years ago wasn't it? Ho, ho ho...!"

"Ichikawa-san!"

* * *

"Shindou..."

"Please, not now, Touya."

Touya sat down beside him. When he had rushed out of the Go Salon, he was surprised to find his rival sitting on a bench in the bus stop. Since it wasn't rush hour, there were no people milling around, waiting for buses. He took the opportunity to hear out the smaller boy's story. So far, He didn't have much luck. Shindou was staring dejectedly at the sidewalk for half an hour already, ignoring his questions.

"How long have we known each other?"

Shindou was surprised at the unexpected question. "Dunno. about four years?"

Touya grinned. "Exactly four years, two months, twenty days, three hours, fifty minutes, 20 seconds, 21, 22, 23, 24..."

"You made that up didn't you." This time the bleached-banged boy was showing a slight smile.

"Yup. But it has been four years and two months. I'm not obsessive enough about our rivalry to count to the last second."

"Could have fooled me. I thought you were serious for a second there. Creeped me out."

"That was my intention." The two boys smiled at each other. They sat like that in companionable silence for a few moments, observing the people walking about: two schoolgirls giggling over a secret joke, a salaryman hailing a taxi, an old man peddling cheap jewelry. "Do you want to talk about it now?" Touya asked hesitantly.

"I guess so..." Shindou trailed off. When he began again, his voice quavered slightly. "He was having an affair."

"What?"

"With another woman, a colleague at the company he works in."

"Oh God, I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be." Shindou sighed. "This wasn't exactly surprising though. I had suspected it for years. It had started around the time I was in fifth grade. Dad started meeting with that woman in love motels, then he and that woman asked to go in business trips together. He lied to mom, saying he would be away for a week when the truth was the trip would be only three days long... then he'd spend the rest of the time with her..."

Touya sighed. He couldn't understand Shindou's feelings. His family life had always been stable. His mother was supportive of his and his father's careers at Go. They had very few fights and had surprised each other by being romantic at random times. He was surprised though at being an only child given the intensity of his parents' relationship. Shindou's on the other hand was...

"Are you angry?" He found himself asking.

Shindou looked like he was on the verge of tears but he shook his head. "No. Just a bit surprised it would always end this way. Do you know? I have a little sister already... she's five and she wants to see me... That's why dad wanted us to know. So that his daughter will have a stable family at last."

"And your mother?" Touya asked.

"I don't know." was the answer. "She might want to go back to Osaka where her family is and she wants me to come with her. But I'm old enough to get a place of my own. I have a job and commitments here in Tokyo. I could stay with my dad for a while though, get to know Youko-chan, that's her name by the way. Or with gramps. Osaka isn't too far away you know. Just a couple train rides on the Shinkansen..."

Touya, for some reason, had the urge to comfort the smaller boy. "And what do you want, Shindou?"

Shindou was crying freely now. "I don't know anymore. I just don't know..."

And with that Touya Akira wrapped his arms around his rival's smaller frame and let him have a good cry.

* * *

Ichikawa-san was pleasantly surprised to see Touya bring in Shindou an hour later. One look at the boys' faces made her fetch a clean, wet rag. She let Shindou wipe away the remains of his tears. Kitajima was unusually silent, Touya noted. Maybe he had decided to get a life beside taunting Shindou. Or Ichikawa-san let gave him her patented 'Look of Death' (TM). Either way, he was glad the old customer was silent, for the other boy's sake.

Once they were seated at their customary table, Touya made a decison.

"You could stay with us." he said.

The Go Salon was silent before, now after his proposal, you could hear a pin drop and the crickets chirping outside.

"What?"

Touya gathered up his courage. "It would be okay with Father. He and Mother are always out of the country with his commitments with the Korean and Beijing leagues as well." He gave a small smile. "We could also ask Yashiro to stay over, after all, the next Hokuto Cup is coming soon."

Shindou, was almost in a state of shock. "Bu-but, I'll be imposing on your hospitality and then..."

"No buts." Touya glared.

"Yes sir!" Shindou gave a mock salute and smiled weakly. "Anou..."

"Yes?"

"Can Waya and Isumi stay over as well? Sometimes?"

Outside, the passers-by were wondering what could have happened to make the usually noisy Salon go silent a second time. They just shrugged their shoulders and went about their business.

* * *

to be continued...


	4. Interlude One: Domesticity

Disclaimer: This is a Hikaru no Go fanfiction. Hikaru and company does not belong to me but to Hotta Yumi, Obata Takeshi, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and TV Tokyo. Please don't sue me, I'm just a poor college student. R/R! Spoilers for anything beyond volume 17 of the manga up to chapter 180! 

Thanks so much for the reviews. At this point, it is difficult to say whether this fic will turn yaoi or not. Probably hints of shounen-ai and THAT GIRL will show.  


**The Shining Go **  


* * *

Interlude One: Attempts at Domesticity and the Like 

Hikaru stayed with his mother in their house for a week after that incident. His father had already left (moved in with his girlfriend and daughter at another flat). He helped his mother pack her belongings and at the end of the week, went with her to the train station.

"And don't forget to change your under..."

"Mom! Not here!" People had started snickering when they heard the boy's vehement shouts.

"...wear." She said, a litle less loudly. Shindou Mitsuko kissed her son's cheek. "And behave while I'm gone. Please come visit your me and your grandparents sometime."

"I will." Hikaru then gave his mother a hug, much to her surprise. He usually complained about how embarrassing public acts of affection were. But then again, she was leaving her only child and he had every right to do so. She hugged back and then proceeded to board the train. She waved at Hikaru from the window as the train started to move. They still waved at each other until the car was out of range. Then Hikaru's smile wavered.

Touya Akira stepped out of his hiding place behind a pillar and walked over to his best friend/rival. They stood in companionable silence for a few moments. Then Akira asked, "Ready to go?"

Akira could have sworn he saw Hikaru's eyes glisten with tears... but then again he could be wrong. Hikaru nodded weakly. 

"As ready as I could ever be." He replied.

* * *

The two boys' lives revolved along school, Go, friends, Go, homework, Go, exams and more Go for a month after Shindou Mitsuko's departure. Touya Kouyo and Akiko were pleasantly surprised at having a houseguest but they proved to be very good and amiable hosts. Touya Akiko increasingly acted as if Hikaru was her own son: giving him small hugs, cooking his favorite meals and talking with each other on hours on end. Akira was just glad to see his friend recovering well, brushing away feelings of jealousy and also insisted on spending time with his mother. And so the three of them frequented the cinemas and parks of Tokyo..

Then the time came when Touya-sensei was summoned to go to Beijing for league games. Naturally, Akiko went with him. And Hikaru and Touya were left to fend for themselves at the house. Which naturally led to disaster. Touya-sensei's trip coincided with the annual elimination rounds for the next Hokuto cup. Which naturally led to even more disaster.

Chaos ensued after Akira's parents left. Somehow, a fire had occurred in the_ microwave_. Akira was sheepish and repented over the situation. He had ruined his mother's good metal pitcher with that incident.

"What do you mean the microwave is broken?" Hikaru screeched. "What kind of idiot burns _water _ in a _metal _pitcher in the microwave?"

"I didn't know we couldn't use metal in the microwave." Akira mused.

"Now you do. Geez." Hikaru scrubbed at the stained metal with a sponge and poured half of the dishwasher liquid to get rid of the deposits.

Yashiro, who was staying over also at Akira's house for the week chortled good naturedly. "Who would have known? Touya Akira---darling of the go world, class salutatorian of Kaio Junior High, world famous go player --- was a horrible cook."

Hikaru choked. "Oi, Yashiro..."

"Now THAT'S an oddity. How did you survive anyway during the time last year when your parents went to China? Stayed at Shindou's? Take-out?" Yashiro asked.

Akira deadpanned. "Ichikawa-san's cooking. Ashiwara's bento. Shindou dragging me every afternoon to some new ramen place."

"Oi... I'm here ya know." Hikaru tossed out the black-stained sponge, wiped his hands clean and proceeded to gather dinner ingredients. "This time I cook... if there's anything I could salvage."

Yashiro looked at the finely-chopped vegetables (blackened with soot) and ground beef (also blackened with charred carbon) and nearly through up at the spot. He groaned, "I can just see the headlines at the Weekly go: GO PLAYERS POISONED AFTER KITCHEN FIASCO, TOUYA AKIRA SUSPECTED..."

"Out!" Hikaru pushed both trouble makers out of the kitchen, trying to save his sanity... and his appetite.

* * *

Akira bit into the curry beef in ecstasy. He couldn't believe this was the same meat he nearly *ahem* incinerated earlier on. Yashiro didn't care for culinary finery. He was shovelling food up his mouth. "More" he said, holding out an empty bowl to Hikaru (who had barely started to eat). Hikaru sighed and refilled Yashiro's bowl. The meat was promtly demolished by the white-haired Kansai pro. "More." 

The remains of the ill-fated cooking utensil (Akira winced) bounced off Yashiro's head. Undeterred, he started getting his own helpings. "Mmmph, gooood.. shiddoouuu.." He managed to say within mouthfuls. He swallowed and asked, "How did you learn how to cook?"

Hikaru shrugged. "Something I picked up from mom. We used to just talk together while making dinner in the past year and her techniques seem to have been unconsciously passed on. I guess when you get used to something, it becomes easy."

"Eh? That explains it." More food was decimated into pieces.

"Explains what?" Hikaru asked.

"The edibility of the dinner you made, considering the torture it has gone through..." A vein started throbbing on Akira's head. "Lucky you're the one making food. Next time you make dinner! Touya and I will just go shopping for stuff. With any luck, he'll manage somewhat to destroy half the supplies with his clumsiness before it even makes the refrigerator..."

WHAM! 

This time a tea tray slammed into Yashiro's face. Hikaru started chuckling. Akira smiled inwardly. It was good to hear him finally laugh genuinely over the past few weeks. He was so deep into his thoughts that he didn't notice Yashiro and Shindou cleaning up the plates, talking animatedly.

"Shindou! You should have seen it. It was so cool! The way he just slammed it into his enemy's side..!"

"Un... Yeah, at that point, I thought he was losing."

Akira smiled again. The two were thinking about Go even though they were working.

"It was really great you know, Yashiro, when Kyo just rams that sword into his opponent's stomach..."

"Don't forget about his amazing comeback when he had reverted back to Kyoshiro and then he did that stance..."

Akira sweatdropped.

* * *

to be continued...


	5. Interlude Two: What Comes Around

Disclaimer: This is a Hikaru no Go fanfiction. Hikaru and company does not belong to me but to Hotta Yumi, Obata Takeshi, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and TV Tokyo. Please don't sue me, I'm just a poor college student. R/R! Spoilers for anything beyond volume 17 of the manga up to chapter 180! 

Thanks so much for the reviews. Some people were a bit confused with my summary. The stalker-fangirl will be showing up in a few chapters. THAT GIRL refers to Akari.

Warnings for this chapter. DO NOT READ if you don't like original characters, crossdressing, toilet humor and other nastiness. Some OCs here poke fun at me and some of my yaoi-loving friends. Oh, and there' s no real yaoi or angst here yet. Just a few chapters of pure fun until seriousness kicks in. Flames will be used to toast marshmallows.

  
**The Shining Go **

* * *

Interlude Two: What Comes Around...

"I don't get it Hikaru-kun... how could a microwave explode?" Touya Akiko asked, confusion evident on her normally pleasant face.

Hikaru sighed almost imperceptively and attempted to explain again to her Akira's kitchen exploits. Touya Kouyo merely glanced questioningly at his son. Akira blushed to the roots of his hair. Yashiro tried to hide his snickers.

Akira's parents had arrived home a week early (Touya-sensei won all his games) and had arrived to see the three boys scrubbing the kitchen floor and throwing away the charred remains of the machine. At first, they were met with denials and accusations of "he did it" being thrown around until Hikaru confessed that he destroyed it. Akira, not wanting his guest to take the blame, stepped forward and admitted to being the guilty party. And it was up to Hikaru to explain to his hosts the do's an dont's of operating a microwave and how it ended up in the trash bin in the first place.

"Ara..." That was Mrs. Touya's initial reply. Her husband merely rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath that suspiciously sounded like, "Boys will be boys."

* * *

After the fiasco, Touya-sensei gave an announcement to his family (and houseguests). "Your uncle Hiroshi is coming," he said. "And he's bringing his daughters with him." Akira turned pale. Yashiro and Hikaru looked puzzled. Yashiro then said, "That's good, err...is it?"

Mrs. Touya looked mildly embarrassed. "You see, Hiroshi-san's daughters are um... unusual, in a way..."

"They're yaoi fans." Akira interrupted. THAT statement caused raising of eyebrows. Hikaru said. "I guess they need their perks right? We can't judge them by their preferences..."

"They're straight. Just yaoi fans."

"Oh."

Yashiro gathered up enough courage to ask, "Why did ya turn so pale all of a sudden, Touya? What did they do to you that's so bad that you were scared stiff?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Akira rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. "Believe me, this will definitely be a horrifying experience in your lives."

* * *

The Touya relatives arrived that weekend. By all appearances, they looked perfectly normal. Hiroshi himself (strangely enough) bore little resemblance to Touya-sensei. Maybe because of the presence of a cheerful smile plastered on his face. Emiko, his oldest daughter was about twenty years old and wore all leather, boots, jacket, pants, and the like. Kumiko, the other daughter was around 18. She wore glasses and had a placid (if not blank) look on her face most of the time. Mariko, the youngest, looked 16. She wore her dark black hair in a long braid down her back. Yup, they were perfectly normal. Until they started speaking...

"Akira-chaaaaaan!" Emiko squealed and glomped her younger cousin. Hikaru and Yashiro could only gape. Her attitude was totally different from the "tough biker chick" persona she seemed to have earlier. They stopped when Kumiko and Mariko introduced themselves to them. Yashiro noticed that Kumiko's eyes were fixated on Hikaru's face. Then her gaze travelled to his neck, his shoulders, hips, lower and .... met his stare. She smiled politely, then that smiled warped into a slightly more evil form. He found himself stepping back from her...

Hikaru on the other had, seemed to be more at ease. He stood close to Akira and found himself chatting amiably with Emiko. She giggled and ruffled his bangs. Then a shiver crept up his spine. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Kumiko eyeing him, as if she was mentally undressing him. Hikaru shook his head to as if to clear those disturbing thoughts and returned to his conversation.

Akira seemed stiff and uncomfortable. He had realized earlier that his cousins were sneaking glances at Hikaru and Yashiro, checking them out (and most probably, Akira thought grimly, creating mental scenarios for their generally unpleasant plans to be carried out later).

"So, Hikaru-chan." Emiko beamed. "How long have you known each other?"

'Here it comes,' Akira mentally groaned.

"About four years." Hikaru enthusiastically piped up.

"Cool! Did anyone ever tell you that you guys make a cute couple?" Kumiko grinned ferally.

"Eh...?" Hikaru's eyes grew wider. Yashiro looked like he wanted to puke.

"I wonder who's seme and uke in this relationship?" Mariko whispered to herself. "Probably Hikaru-chan since he acts younger and is smaller in built. The perfect uke."

The boy's face had turned pallid. "Anou, you guys are getting our relationship wrong, we're not..."

"Ah! You're the seme aren't you! Akira-chan is also cute as uke! He looks like a girl and is refined, cute..."

"No! We're not together like that..."

"He was so cute when he was six and we dressed him up in Marisa's cute dresses." Emiko sighed with bliss. "We even have photos! We took him to the grocery store and everyone told us what a cute little sister we had. Of course we had to stop since Akira-chan looked ill and so we brought him back and auntie nearly threw a fit when we were late!"

'It's because he was wearing GIRL'S clothing! That's why she threw a fit!' Hikaru and Yashiro simultaneously thought. Akira tried to ignore the sisters' conversation but failed. He wondered what would be his punishment for murdering his cousins. Then again, they might reward him for getting rid of them...

Kumiko was yelling out loud. "Hikaru-chan will probably look like a cute girl when we're through with him! I got the wig and the skirt, and the push up..."

* * *

Meanwhile...

Touya Kouyo and Hiroshi calmly sipped their tea as they lounged in the living room. Hiroshi dropped his smile and began, "And it starts again."

"Yes."

"They traumatized poor Akira-kun for life."

"Absolutely."

"They're going to traumatize the other two boys as well though."

"This is going to be interesting." Touya Kouyo said, swirling green liquid around his cup and picked up a copy of the Weekly Go. "Hmm... nothing interesting..." he murmured as shouts started to be heard from the front lawn...

* * *

_"And are you sure this would work, Emiko?"_

_"Have I ever been wrong? You did put the sleeping pills in Hikaru-chan's teacup didn't you."_

_"Yup. Mission completed."_

_"Operation make-up has commenced."_

***

Hikaru woke up that morning, his vision was blurred, there was an odd taste in his mouth and his clothes itched for some reason. He remembered a party, Emiko trying to feed him sushi and procurred a bottle of Oolong tea. He had liked that particular brand and had gulped down what had been offered to him. Feeling a bit comfortable, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

***

Akira decided to wake Hikaru up since he had overslept (probably because of a hangover of sorts but unlikely since there was no alcohol served) but it seemed strange to him that the girls generously offered him some homemade punch and they had such an evil look in their eyes. He had refused the punch immediately.

"Shindou?" He rapped at the edge of the screen door, opened it and gaped at the person who was sprawled out in the futon. 

'She' had long black hair that framed a delicate face, eyes closed in slumber. Her lips moved slightly with each breath taken and there was a pink flush to her cheeks. She wore a simple cotton nightgown that rode up during sleep and revealed shapely legs and the border of the nightgown showed creamy thighs and the boxer shorts that she wore... to... the...

Waitaminute... boxer shorts? What the...

"Shindou!" Akira screamed.

"Argh!" The boy woke up and glared at Akira. "What the heck were you thinking? You could have given me a heart attack by waking me up that way!"

"Look... in the mirror..."

"Why? Is there a reason to..." Hikaru caught his reflection and gaped at it in stunned silence.

* * *

Yashiro was having such a nice dream. He had just taken the Kisei title and he was shouting at his parents that he had made it and that he was the best Igo player in Japan. He was on the 5th game to claim the Meijin title and at the instant he placed his finishing stone, he...

"ARRGGHHHH!!!" A scream reverberated through the entire house.

"Wha?" He woke up, bleary-eyed. When no one screamed again, he slumped back into his pillow and slept. He was snoring within seconds.

***

Emiko, Kumiko and Marisa snickered as they looked through their Polaroids of a sleeping Shindou Hikaru in women's nightclothes...

***

"Oh dear." Touya Akiko paused in the middle of setting the table. "They've struck again and they seemed to have targetted Hikaru-kun today."

The Touya brothers sighed collectively and went out of the kitchen to investigate the situation.

* * *

to be continued...

Glossary:

seme- the one on top  
uke- the one in the bottom

  



	6. Chapter Three: Itsumo Kimi No

Disclaimer: This is a Hikaru no Go fanfiction. Hikaru and company does not belong to me but to Hotta Yumi, Obata Takeshi, Shueisha, Shonen Jump and TV Tokyo. Please don't sue me, I'm just a poor college student. R/R! Spoilers for anything beyond volume 17 of the manga up to chapter 182! 

Let me explain first the timeline to the story, the prologue and first 2 chapters are for character building. The two interlude chapters are pure insanity and may or may not be relevant to later chapters. And for those who are asking about the rabid fangirls... yeah, it's those three OCs in the interlude. I was going to make a third interlude with Akari teaming up with them... then I felt that I'd tortured Akira and Hikaru enough. ^o^ As for shounen ai or yaoi... I make fun of the fangirls. There will be hints of it or none at all. Though I might make it shounen ai in future chapters. 

  
**The Shining Go **

* * *

Chapter 3: Itsumo Kimi No 

After the incident with Akira's rabid yaoi fangirl cousins, Hikaru and Akira didn't talk to each other for a week. Nothing, (even the three sisters' schemes) could make them look at each other. Only when the relatives have left the house did the two boys let speak to each other again. They had let out simultaneous sighs of relief when their car was out of visual range. Then they looked at each other and burst out laughing. Everything was back to normal. Or so they hoped. 

When Akira mentioned this to Ichikawa-san the next time they played at the Go salon, she suddenly turned bright pink and muttered under breath something that vaguely sounded like, "I still have a chance then..." Akira avoided her for days after that and spent his time playing Go with Hikaru. If not he played Go with his father. Or with Ashiwara-san. Just Go. It would have been like that everyday if the bleached-banged boy and Yashiro hadn't dragged him to the videogame arcade. He surprised himself by doing well in the shooting games. He must have been highly stressed lately to have started shooting wildly like that.

Hikaru and Yashiro's eyes bugged out after seeing him get a perfect score in the Time Crisis game and the Sniper game. They were freaked out even more when Akira gunned down all the zombies that appeared with perfect accuracy (his face was still as serious as ever).

Their jaws nearly reached the floor when Akira turned to them, smiling. "Let's come back next time." he said. "I need a lot of stress relief right now."

The two silently agreed with him.

* * *

_February 20 (3 months before the Hokuto Cup)_

"That's not fair, you know." Yashiro said to them a as they were leaving the Touya home.

"What's not fair?" Hikaru asked, munching on a piece of toast. (He was still hungry after breakfast, he finally started having a growth spurt.)

"I mean the both of ya have been asked to be in the Hokuto cup this year after your performance last year." The tall boy groaned. "Now I have to fight against Waya and mushroom-head for the last spot."

"Kurata-san did say that you need to gain more strength first." Akira said. "But we don't think you need to worry about the spots. Waya and Ochi are considerably weaker than you but it doesn't mean you'll let your guard down."

"I dunno 'bout that." Hikaru said between bites. The other two turned to look at him. "Waya's been training at China with Isumi-san you know. Though Lei Ping still beats him regularly. He HAS grown stronger."

"Still not strong enough in international standards though." Akira mused.

"Just watch for him next year. It'll be the last time he might make the team so he's been working really hard."

"Watch out for whom?" 

The trio looked behind them. "Isumi-san!" Hikaru smiled at his friend. "When did you get back from China? How's Yang Hai-san and the others?"

Isumi sighed. "I just got back yesterday. They're doing great. Yang Hai-san will be Team China's manager again for the cup. Lei Ping made the Chinese team. And I'll ask again, Shindou. Don't try to change the question, watch out for whom?"

Yashiro piped up before Hikaru could answer. "Waya. I heard he's gotten stronger."

"Yeah, too bad not strong enough to beat you yet Yashiro." Isumi grimaced. "He and Lei Ping made spectacles of themselves back in the instutute. Ever since Lei Ping's growth spurt, they've been impossible to tell apart. Attitude-wise though... It's easy to know which one is which."

"So that kid's still a brat or so I heard?" Hikaru chuckled, stuffing the last of the toast in his mouth.

Isumi sweatdropped. "He hasn't changed a bit."

* * *

"I resign." Yashiro said.

They were eating lunch at a soba shop near the Go Institute. Hikaru whipped out a magnetic goban (dunno where he got one) and challenged Yashiro to a game. Yashiro lost miserably and bought another order of yakisoba. "Dammit Shindou, why do I have to pay for another serving?"

"Stop complaining." Hikaru growled. He helped himself to more noodles. "You're the one who suggested that the loser pays for the winner's meal."

"Oi, Touya. Help me here." Yashiro begged. Akira ignored him. 

"Fancy seeing you here!" A hand clamped down on Akira's shoulder.

"Kurata-san!" 

Hikaru slurped his noodles. "The ramen shop is across the street, Kurata-san."

"Can't I have some soba as well? Two yakisoba! I'm starved!" He motioned to the waitress.

"Y-Yes sir."

Hikaru rolled his eyes. 'And he still wants to eat?' he thought to himself. He cleared his throat. "Kurata-san, what brings you here? You look like you wanna talk about something."

The older pro started talking. "Boys, this year I wan't you to defeat China. COMPLETELY. And after that, pulverize Korea as well. That Ang Ten Son... His smirk last year was unbearable. This year, I'll make sure he'll be known as Korea's Kurata Atsushi! Then I'll wipe that grin off his face! Wait til...

The trio tuned him out. The one-sided rivalry between Kurata and Ang Ten Son was a joke to them. The unsuspecting manager of team Korea never really understoon Kurata's animosity towards himself. Kurata ranted on, then realized that the owner of the shop was looking at him strangely.

"Well boys," he said. The waitress set down his orders in front of him. "Itadakimasu." He took his chopsticks and ravenously attacked the soba. "This just isn't about the Hokuto Cup. As you know, Japan is again the sponsor for this year's Amateur Go tournament."

Akira nodded. "Father mentioned this too. And Japan's representative is once again Hiroshima's Shuuhei."

"Really?" Hikaru started. "I played against him once..."

"How was he?" Kurata asked, his chopsticks stopping for a second.

"Fairly good. He lost to me though..."

Yashiro snorted. "Yeah, all because your friend... what's his name again? Kawai-san got into a quarrel with him?"

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Kawai-san could never keep his mouth shut."

"About that..." Kurata finished off his first bowl. "You and Touya are his 'tour guides' for his week long stay."

"What about school?" Akira asked.

"The tournament's in the spring this time. They decided to hold a special one. Usually it's around summer but we got a good sponsor this year. It's vacation so you don't have to worry about that."

"How bout me?" Yashiro asked.

"You'll be here during break anyway. You have the Hokuto cup to worry about, IF you get the remaining spot this year. Oh yeah, congratulations Shindou." Kurata attacked the second bowl.

Sensing that Yashiro's patience with Kurata had reached its limit, Hikaru interrupted. "Well, while we're here, what about a game?" He waved the magnetic goban at them.

Yashiro groaned.

* * *

to be continued...

Notes:  
the magnetic goban is a regular in Hikagoyaoi.org's RR contest.


End file.
